The Blockbuster Trade the Toronto Maple Leafs Should Make

The Toronto Maple Leafs are an impressive team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are among the NHL’s best teams both offensively and defensively.  They are well coached, they have decent goaltending, a ton of depth, and a ton of stars.

While first place seems to be a longshot at this point, they are clearly among the NHL’s top teams and will be looking to win the Stanley Cup this spring.

How they should go about doing that, however, is the question this article will take into consideration.

The Leafs have a very balanced roster: their bottom six is one a low-event nightmare for other teams, while their offense is unrivaled, and their blue-line is eight deep in top-four talent.

In addition to that, they also have several very good players knocking at the door (Nick Robertson, Matthews Knies, Topi Niemela).

So what do do?

The Toronto Maple Leafs Need to Go Big

The answer to what the Leafs need can be found in the philosophy they have espoused since the beginning of the Shanahahn Era: Star Players Win Games.

Last year the Leafs added Mark Giorano, the year before Nick Foligno, the year before that, I don’t think they did anything exciting, and before that it was Muzzin.

They have decidedly used the Trade Deadline to add quality veterans. It’s worked out OK, and even the Foligno trade was sensible, regardless of the fact that it turned out to be an expensive dud.

This year, the Leafs don’t have room for this type of player.  Like, who would sit if they brought in whoever the equivalent of Foligno or Gio this year?

I believe the Leafs should be looking at a blockbuster.

They have some incredible assets that they wouldn’t necessarily miss all that much, and the fact that more teams than usual will be interested in missing the playoffs means it should be a pretty good buyers market.

So here is what I think they should do:

Put together a package that includes 2 x first rounders, Nick Robertson and Rasmus Sandin, and use it to get a defenseman who will come to Toronto and be their best defenseman.  This package contains a player who could himself become a #1 eventually, so it should be used only if the very best of the best players are available.

Vancouver probably doesn’t want to trade Quinn Hughes, but they suck, are poorly run, and need to cut salary.  The package I’ve put together would have to make them think about it, at least.

They need a full gut and rebuilt, what are they gonna do with an eight-million dollar defenseman whose entire prime will coincide with their rebuild?

Or what about Seth Jones and his insane contract, if the Hawks eat half of it? How good would he actually be on a good team? This is, in my opinion where the Leafs should be looking the hardest.

Erik Karlsson was leading the NHL in 5v5 scoring last time I looked, if he can be double-retained he might be a good choice.

Would Florida trade Ekblad, unlikely since they flushed their Bedard Lotto Ticket down the toilet already, but it couldn’t hurt to call. If Werenski’s team was playoff bound, would he be able to return this season? If so would CBJ trade him?

The Toronto Maple Leafs need to be creative and go for players who don’t figure to be on the trade market. No one wants to trade a #1 defenseman, but the hovering presence of Connor Bedard might make it slightly easier to pry one away, and the package the Leafs could theoretically offer would be crazy.